1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to apparatus for electrically connecting contacts and, more particularly, to apparatus for electrical connection of a plurality of closely positioned contacts of an electronic unit, such as a display device, to the spaced contacts of an electronic control circuit.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
It is known to connect the contacts of a display device, such as liquid crystal or vacuum fluorescent displays, to the conductor lines of a printed circuit board supporting an electronic control circuit for the display by means of a conductive rubber body positioned between and electrically connected with the contacts and the conductor lines. The conductive rubber body is formed of a plurality of electrically conductive, fiber-like contact elements extending over the thickness of the body and embedded in a rubber-elastic insulating material in laterally spaced relation. The conductor lines in the area of the display device are disposed closely adjacent to one another with a spacing corresponding to that of the display device contacts, and the conductor lines spread apart with increasing distance as they move away from the display device in a manner to permit discrete elements, such as transistors, resistors, condensors, and integrated circuit components, to be soldered to the free ends of the conductor lines without difficulty. The spreading apart of the conductor lines required for connection of the discrete elements results, in display devices having a plurality of adjacent contacts in a row, in printed circuit board dimensions in the direction of the display connection row many times larger than the length of the display connection row and, thus, creates great disadvantages in housing the display electronics in reasonable size cases.